TGIF

Friday, June 7^th

            Today started out really great! We went to the wonderful breakfast and then headed off to school. Ashley Shepherd had said that last year she liked to listen to the same song everyday to school because she wanted that song to always remind her of Africa, which is adorable, so I was feeling compelled to do that also. When I asked her what song she paralleled with her trip, she said Home by Philip Phillips. This song is honestly such a great representation of the time spent here and the whole rest of his album. I also wanted to incorporate my favorite song while I was here, which is My Dear by Bethel. I am pretty sure I listened to it 15 times in a row on the way to school today.

            After we got to school Liz and I wanted to first teach the kids about how easily germs spread. Amy had a jar of glitter here and gave us the wonderful idea to have a couple of kids take a handful of glitter and then shake hands with everyone throughout the class. After the activity was over the kids all had some glitter on their hands and we had it represent how easily germs can spread, even with just one handshake! The kids and the teachers loved the activity but all they wanted to do was spread the glitter all over them. I turned around to the most sparkled faces but I cannot argue with it; I loved that sight.

            The next lesson we did was introducing the meanings of nouns, verbs, and adjectives. This was probably the most difficult lesson we have done so far because they really had not learned these before. As tough as it was, I loved teaching it. It’s the first time I feel, for myself, that Liz and I have taught them something that can truly help them later on in school. They were having a really hard time with it, only two students, Kelvin and Alex, were consistently raising their hands. Although, towards the end I feel that they understood it a bit better. Liz and I agreed that we are going to review with them again on Monday so they could get more exposure to it before we leave. After break we decided to reward them for sitting the whole first part of class that we did Cha Cha Slide again. They are really getting the moves perfectly now.

            After class was over we all met for lunch at MIE. Dr. Kelly had bought blackboard paint, brushes, and newspaper so that we could fix up the chalkboards at the Government school that afternoon. Some of the boards have not been painted since 2007 and it was truly showing. Amy and Leigh teach a Standard 6 class and they said the board was so bad that they weren’t able to use the colored chalk. Painting the boards was really fun and very relaxing. By the time they were all painted the boards literally looked 500% better; it was a worlds difference. The task and materials were so minimal but the outcome of it all is going to change the teacher’s lives; this is a little life lesson I’ve learned while being here. It doesn’t matter how small and insignificant something seems, you must do it because it’s going to help someone in the end. After the boards were done we got to sit outside with some of the kids who live near the school. Stephanie and Amy were singing and dancing to camp songs and attracting all of the children within a 5-mile radius. Dancing and singing is so important to this culture, even in the classroom the kids have a song for the different things they do. I’m not a dancer or singer, people who know me know that I avoid both like the plague. It’s different here though. Being here has turned it from something I was afraid of to something I am learning to embrace. I love having Amy and Liz here because they always try to pull me out to dance and sing with everyone and even if they can’t tell, I really do appreciate it. Two of the students Liz and I teach were there after school and came right up to us to sit with us. Lafiki is always there after school to walk with us to the Demonstration school but today we also had the wonderful Phromise’s presence. Phromise is this small and shy boy but the minute you look at him and smile it’s like the world is smiling back at you. I can just look at him and know that he is such a joy. Lafiki is such a giggler. He loves to laugh and smile with his friends. He has such a distinct smile because his teeth are so big and white. The two boys walked with us to the Demonstration school today and when we got there we all said our “see you laters”.

 After we left the Demonstration school we headed over to U-Save to buy some supplies for the Orphanage we are visiting tomorrow. They need more supplies for their hungry season, which is in a couple of months. We all split up and picked up some soap, sugar, dry milk, and salt. After U-Save we came back to Annie’s. Liz, Leigh and I were very hungry and didn’t feel like having a peanut butter sandwich for dinner so we went to the restaurant at the lodge to spice things up a bit. The food here usually takes an hour to make, even if you get a cheese sandwich. I don’t understand it but I guess they just like to take their time here haha. Tonight was great though because Forrest Gump was playing in the restaurant while we were waiting so it felt like the food came out in no time! We sat in the restaurant until the movie ended (which for those who have seen it knows it was a while) and then headed back to our room. It’s so easy to go to sleep at 8:00pm-9:00pmish here so you can only guess what happened next. Yes, we were asleep.

Until then,
Xoxo